Vegan Shepherd’s Pie and Tips for Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet

This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect gateway recipe to help you transition to a Plant-based diet is written in partnership with A BILLION VEG! https://www.abillionveg.com/get-the-app use my referral code: MELISSASCHAPMAN

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This delicious Vegan Shepherd’s Pie recipe is prepared in two parts. The potato topping and the filling. 

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Potato topping Ingredients:

-2 pounds yukon gold potatoes

-6 tbsp olive oil

-2 tbsp coconut oil

-3 garlic cloves

-1 tsp black pepper

– salt

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Potato Topping Directions:

-Peel and cut potatoes into 2 inch chunks

-Place in a large pot with ½ tbsp salt, cover with 1 inch of water and boil for 10-15 minutes

-drain potatoes and save one cup of water for later

-Place garlic cloves in olive oil and simmer until fragrant then discard the garlic cloves

-return to pot and mash potatoes with coconut oil and garlic infused olive oil and ½ tsp salt. Add water as needed for consistency.

Vegan Shephard’s Pie filling Ingredients:  

-¼ cup olive oil

-2 portabella mushrooms

-1 medium onion

-2 large carrots

-tsp salt

-5-6 tbsps all purpose flour

-1 tsp smoked paprika:

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 cup vegetable broth

-1 cup frozen peas

-15oz can lentils drained

-1 tbsp soy sauce

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Filling Directions:

-After mashed potatoes nearly finished

-cut portabella mushrooms into bite sized chunks and saute with olive oil in a pot

-after mushrooms browned add sliced onions and carrots to pot and when tender

-add in flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder and cook for 1 minute

-add in peas, lentils and vegetable broth, salt and soy sauce

-if too liquidy add more flour and when mixture is heated fully through

-place in 2 quart baking dish and cover with potatoes

-bake 20 minutes and serve warm

Keep reading for Tips for Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet!

Below is a step-by-step guide that will help you make your transition with ease.

Do a 24-hour food recall. First, get an accurate idea of how much meat you’re currently eating. Instead of keeping a food log (which you’re prone to forget about after Meal One), do a 24-hour food recall. Write down everything you ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and drinks for the past 24 hours. For many people, seeing a typical day’s diet in black and white is eye-opening.

“Even if you don’t think you eat much meat, consider the World Health Organization’s recommendations,” Dr. Wendt instructs. “Just 50 grams of processed meat, or a little less than 2 ounces daily, increases your risks. Bacon or sausage for breakfast, plus a deli sandwich at lunch, might put you well over 50 grams—and that’s not even counting supper!”

Stop thinking of meat as the main event. Unless you grew up in a vegetarian or vegan household, chances are you were raised to think of meat as the main dish and everything else as “sides.” Dr. Wendt says it can be helpful to mentally switch these designations.

“Consider meat a condiment that you can sprinkle over beans, whole grains, or vegetables, rather than the main dish,” she recommends. “For instance, you might crumble a small amount of chorizo into your vegetable soup or top your salad with a pinch or two of bacon bits.”

Get over your fear of carbs, too. Are you afraid that stepping away from meat will inevitably lead to more carb consumption…and then to more body fat? This is a common concern, but Dr. Wendt promises that it’s unfounded.

“There’s much more to a plant-based diet than bread, rice, and pasta,” she points out. “A balanced plate includes fruits, vegetables, fiber, protein, and more. And anyway, not all carbs are bad. You do want to stay away from simple carbohydrates (like those found in white bread and white rice), which are easily broken down by the body and quickly converted to fat—without leaving you satisfied. However, complex carbohydrates (like those found in whole grain products) will fill you up without filling you out.”

Take the transition slowly. There’s nothing pleasant about quitting your favorite meats cold turkey (pun intended)—and anyway, this strategy is unlikely to be successful in the long run. If you’re currently a committed carnivore, start by eliminating meat from just one meal a day. After a few weeks, you can move on to having meat only once per day—and after that, to one or more meatless days each week.

“No matter what kind of dietary change you’re making, the key to lasting success is sustainability,” says Dr. Wendt. “A slow, gradual transition gives your body and palate plenty of time to get used to more plant-based options and keeps you from feeling restricted and dissatisfied.”

Stretch your culinary muscles. As you cut back on the amount of meat you eat, you’ll want to add new plant-based recipes to your kitchen repertoire. (Sorry—eating more chips, French fries, candy, and other meatless junk food won’t do your health many favors in the long run.)

Look for satisfying substitutions. Instead of telling yourself, I can’t eat that, ask, How can I make it healthier? Your quest to eat less meat (or even go meat-free) won’t feel like a sacrifice if you can find a plant-based way to replicate the flavors and dishes you’ve always loved.

“Fortunately, finding recipes and learning new cooking techniques has never been easier thanks to sites like Pinterest and Epicurious, plant-based food blogs, YouTube tutorials, and more,” notes Dr. Wendt. “If you don’t want to spend time searching and prefer a more customized approach, my Get Waisted program gives you access to thousands of curated plant-based recipes.”

“Before I cut meat out of my diet, I used to love making—and eating—Vietnamese pork bundles,” shares Dr. Wendt. “I mourned their loss for four whole years before I had the idea to substitute pinto beans for the pork. Turns out their creamy goodness, and even their coloring, mimics ground pork reasonably well. And bonus: Beans are consistently linked to high productivity and longevity. By choosing a bean over meat, I had not only found a way to extend my life, I was improving its quality, too.

“The point is, you don’t have to look for an all-new repertoire of meatless recipes—just get creative when preparing your old favorites,” she continues. “In addition to subbing beans for meat, give meat-replacers like tofu, portobello mushrooms, lentils, and eggplant a second (or first) chance.”

Start the day off right. Many of us view cured meats like bacon, sausage, and ham as a breakfast staple. We may even have thought we were doing ourselves a favor by avoiding sugary cereals and carbs. But based on the WHO’s recent report that processed meats are linked to cancer, it’s wise to bid a (perhaps tearful) farewell to these old meaty favorites—or at least enjoy them on a more limited basis.

“Don’t skip breakfast altogether if your old go-to option is off the table,” Dr. Wendt warns. “This meal is a great place to start incorporating plant-based substitutions. You can try vegetarian and vegan sausages and bacon if you prefer to start the day off on a savory note. Personally, I was surprised by how close to the original many of these copycats are. And don’t forget options like oatmeal, fruit smoothies, and whole grain breads and cereals. All of these are healthy, and once again, will fill you up without filling you out.”

Harness the power of association. If you really want to get serious about saying no to meat, go on the offensive by associating something very yummy with something even more yucky. Every time you bite off a piece of bacon, for instance, picture a mouthful of chemical-laden smog. When you’re craving a hot dog, conjure up a mental vision of a sludgy, disgusting landfill.

“During my own transition, I was frequently assailed by cravings for barbecue,” Dr. Wendt recalls. “So when I smelled or just started fantasizing about this dish, I would think about dirt. Sometimes I’d even picture a little pig on a factory farm, living his life in a crate, never getting a breath of fresh air and never knowing what it felt like to stick his nose in some nice mud. This tactic worked amazingly well!”

Consider what makes cents. Face it: Many types and cuts of meat are expensive! In fact, over 20 percent of the average American grocery bill is spent on meat (and meat prices are continuing to rise). So if you’re motivated by a good deal, you may find it helpful to remind yourself of the money you’re saving by choosing plant-based options.

“You might object that fresh produce and other non-processed foods can also be pricey—and I hear you!” Dr. Wendt acknowledges. “However, if you’re no longer funneling one-fifth or more of your grocery budget toward meat, you’ll have a lot more to spend on these items. Plus, alternate sources of protein—beans and grains—are very inexpensive compared to animal proteins.

“Also, remember that the cost savings aren’t limited to what’s (not) on your plate,” she adds. “For instance, many of my patients find that they spend less on cosmetics because a plant-based diet improves their hair and skin. And, of course, by eating nutritiously, you’re avoiding piles of medical bills in the future.”

Find some friends to share the journey. It’s a lot easier to make healthy transitions when you’re working toward your goal with friends, old or new. Don’t underestimate the power of support, encouragement, and commiseration.

“If you can’t get your family on board with a reduced-meat or no-meat diet, maybe you can swap plant-based meal plans with a good friend or team up with a coworker to make sure the break room is stocked with healthy lunch and snack options,” Dr. Wendt suggests.

Want more Recipes that will Make you Vegan  Like this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie?

Here are a few of our faves!

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

One Pot Lasagna Soup

Vegan ChickPea Curry With Potatoes Recipe

Vegan Date Bars

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